The present invention relates generally to a mount for the outlet of a pressure vessel. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mount for the outlet of an air compressor where the mount itself has a plurality of outlets which may be fitted with various components and the mount, along with the components, is rotatable with respect to the air compressor without interrupting air flow through the mount and the components affixed thereto.
Air compressors typically are designed with numerous outlets which are fitted with various components to monitor and control the operation of the compressor. These components include, for example: a regulator, for adjusting the flow of air from within the compressor tank; pressure gauges, for monitoring pressure; a safety valve, for providing an automatic shut-off of the compressor when the pressure within the compressor tank reaches a prescribed level; and a valve, for facilitating start-up and shutdown operations of the compressor. These components are usually affixed individually, and in combination, to an outlet of the compressor through mounting structures that are usually threadingly engaged to the outlet of the air compressor and provide a single positioning of the components after the mounts are threaded to their final, fully tightened positions. Consequently, this final position frequently does not provide easy access to these components and may not readily be altered to provide access, which is especially important if the compressor is to be positioned in different locations and directions during use. In practice, the mounting structures are sometimes slightly unthreaded to provide access to the components, a practice which obviously is not desirable.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a mount for an outlet of an air compressor that can be fitted with a single component where the mount can be rotated with respect to the air compressor without tampering with the seal between the mount and the outlet allowing access to the component as desired.
It would be further advantageous to provide a mount for an outlet of an air compressor where the mount itself has a plurality of outlets, each outlet being fitted with one or more components and the mount, along with the components, can be rotated with respect to the air compressor for ease of access to the components. Such rotation, for example, would permit access to the regulator so that it could be adjusted while the other components are visible and accessible to an operator without having to look or reach over the compressor or move the compressor itself. Such a construction would thereby lessen the chance of damage to the compressor or injury to the operator, as well as assure an accurate reading and pressure regulation.
Moreover it would be desirable to provide a mount that is rotatable to a desired position and can then be readily locked into the desired position to prevent further movement of the mount until required.